Revolutionary polymorphic liquid metal paves the way for shape shifting robots

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By Matthew Griffin Industrial Revolution 8th April 2019

WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF

Our ability to create robots that can shape shift and change their shape is a matter of when, not if, and we’re getting closer.

Between the US Pentagon’s use of an Artificial Intelligence (AI) to defend its critical systems from attack, DARPA’s proposal to build a global AI platform that monitors the whole world for threats, Boston Dynamics’ ATLAS robot that recently learned how to do Parkour, and Oxford University’s experiments to put 3D printed human skin onto robots, the 21st century is increasingly starting to resemble the prelude to James Cameron’s 1984 Terminator movies. Furthermore, combine it with new nascent Liquid Computing tech and, potentially, you have a robot that would make even science fiction writers tremble – another example of science fiction becoming science fact.

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Now, keeping with the theme, a group of materials scientists from Beihang University in China have just published a paper detailing a polymorphic liquid metal compound that can be stretched and moved in 3D with magnets. The American Chemical Society (ACS) reports that the substance – called a Magnetic Liquid Metal Droplet, or MLMD for short, is an alloy made of Gallium, Indium and Tin infused with iron particles and submerged in Hydrochloric Acid.

The potential is huge

And movie fans aren’t the only ones who recognize the potential of the material to create real life polymorphic robot Terminators like the T-1000.

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“With all the appealing properties,” the scientists wrote, “this MLMD presents a fundamental and promising platform for the liquid metals to further develop the multi-freedom actuation in free space and eventually lead to the dynamically re-configurable intelligent and Bio-Mimetic soft robots in the future.”

Still not convinced? Then you haven’t watched the video… oh, and one other thing, the discovery could also open the door to re-configurable electronics, and that’s an entirely new ball game… it’s going to be fun!

Matthew Griffin / About Author

Described by NASA as a "Walking Encyclopaedia of the Future" and one of the world’s most in demand keynote speakers Matthew Griffin, Founder and Futurist in Chief of the 311 Institute, a global Futures and Deep Futures advisory firm, is a multi-award winning Futurist and strategic foresight expert, author, lecturer, mentor, podcast and YouTube host.

With a distinguished career running global business units at Atos, EMC, and IBM today Matthew helps leaders and titans of industry from all over the world explore the impact of the inter sections of technology, culture, and leadership, then helps them create high performance organisations that can continuously disrupt, outpace, and outthink their competition.

15 times author of the hit series the Codex of the Future series Matthew's ability to identify, track, and explain the impacts of hundreds of emerging technologies and trends on global business, culture, and society has earned him a powerful reputation and a roster of clients that include royal households, world leaders across the G7, G20, and G77, and many of the world's most recognised and exceptional organisations including ABB, Accenture, ABN Amro, Adidas, AON, ARM, BCG, Centrica, Citi Group, Coca Cola, Deloitte, Dentons, Disney, Dow, EY, Google, KPMG, Lego, Microsoft, Legal & General, LinkedIn, Nokia, Paramount, PepsiCo, PWC, Qualcomm, RWE, Samsung, T-Mobile, UBS, Visa, WIRED, WPP and hundreds of others.

Matthew is regularly featured in the global media including the AP, BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC, Discovery, Forbes, Khaleej Times, Telegraph, TIME, ViacomCBS, WIRED, and the WSJ, and his mission is to help organisations create a fair and sustainable future whose benefits are shared by everyone irrespective of their ability, background, or circumstances.